Is HP getting serious about calculators?
in [HP48]
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From: bokubob on 10 Oct 2006 19:56 Steen Schmidt wrote: > I know that much free software exist. The problem with this is the same > as with all other open source software; It's difficult to use, badly > documented and poorly integrated. I read this a while ago and it stuck with me: "Open source is free; so long as your time is worthless." I think it applies here too. -Jonathan
From: Howard Owen on 10 Oct 2006 21:33 One reason PDAs are nice is also a reason desktop computers are nice: general computinng capability in a personal package. I'm a calculator enthusiast, so on my phone, I have the following software: emu48 Free42 EV41 MathUPro (Programmable RPN calculator) I also have software that lets me: Access my home network from anywhere, Use the phone as a wireless modem for my laptops Play my music (1GB+ worth of MP3s, currently) Take (somewhat crappy) photographs Play a bunch of games Browse the internet with HTTP Securely store all the dozens of passwords I need to use Oh yes, make phone calls, and keep my calendar and contacts Did I mention the calculators? I get a lot of pleasure out of using all that software everywhere I go. But when using the calculator software, I really do miss the nice layout of a well thought out calculator keyboard. There is also the fact that I have to recharge the phone each and every day I use it. (It will go a week if I'm not using it.) Nice ideas like the Qonos answer both those points, but I had another thought. It's probably not original, but what about a portable calculator *terminal* device? This would have a nice keyboard and a low power LCD display, and bluetooth, or maybe Nokia's new low-power BT equivalent. The computing power could come from a PDA, a laptop, a desktop, a cluster or a world-wide grid! The advantage would be superior data entry. You'd still want a full size display for visualization, but the on-board screen would be good enough to preview results. So the key (so to speak) enabler for this device would be an open standard protocol for the keyboard and display, one that was network extensible, and supported by any host computer OS you might care to harness for computing horsepower. That's probably asking too much, though. 8) Regards, Howard Frank Pittel wrote: > Veli-Pekka Nousiainen <DROP_vpn(a)dlc.fi> wrote: > : Volker Neurath wrote: > : X > : > I think that today it is possible to replace a high-end > : > CAS-grahics-calc by a PDA with software. > : > So, what arguments are there for using a high-end-calc instead of a > : > PDA? > > : Dedicated calculator keyboard > : ??? > > The keyboard is nice. The problem I have is that I normally carry my Palm with > me for a number of reasons. With the calc applications available for my Palm > there's no reason for me to have to carry a large bulky calculator along with me. > > -- > > > > > ------------------- > Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
From: Steen Schmidt on 11 Oct 2006 00:43 Steen Schmidt wrote: > [...] The problem with this is the same as with all other open source > software; It's difficult to use, badly documented and poorly integrated. I meant to write "...poorly documented...", not "...badly documented...". The documentation is usually good but scarce. Cheers, Steen
From: pobox42511 on 11 Oct 2006 02:03 Yes, there is one: http://www.ticalc.org/archives/files/fileinfo/309/30978.html Emulation of the TI-86 is good, but for TI-89, it's slow. Better with a 624MHz PDA. Hasn't been updated for a few years. John H Meyers wrote: > On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:45:41 -0500, JB wrote: > > > When was the last time that you solved a differential equation > > with your PDA? > > Probably when Emu48 was loaded into it :) > > Are there any TI emulators for PDAs? > > [r->] [OFF]
From: Veli-Pekka Nousiainen on 11 Oct 2006 03:07
Joel Kolstad wrote: > "Volker Neurath" <neanderix(a)gmx.de> wrote in message > news:fmhqv3-djd3.ln1(a)ID-29596.user.individual.de... >> I think that today it is possible to replace a high-end >> CAS-grahics-calc by a PDA with software. > > Not very well. I've looked -- really I have -- for a Windows > CE/Mobile/etc. calculator, and even ignoring the obvious problem that > you can't operate one as quickly with a stylus and soft keyboard, > none feel as "well integrated" as an HP-48/49/50. > > After playing with a bunch of them, it made me sader that Qonos died > -- they really had the right idea, I think, using a PDA platform with > a high-quality fold-out keyboard and custom software. It would have > been great... Actually It doesn't have to be Qonos Since HPQ uses (or used to use) the same Samsung ARM9 variat on a low-end WinCE PDA HPQ could "easily" integrate WinCE device with a calc Perhaps using the Qonos layout, calculator layout or those small QWERTY PDA keyboard layouts It's like having the ALPHA mode "on TOP" perhaps just changing to calc mode could switch between ALPHA/calc KB OR HPQ could buy Qonos from Hydrix Perhaps TI will buy Qonos? Even if the HP emulation would be optional I's still buy it (as long as I can get my 49-50 work) -- Veli-Pekka |